[jared]

So I have signed up for an HPDE event at a local track and will be road racing for the first time.

I would love to hear any pointers that my fellow VT members might have regarding road racing or auto crossing their VT or track days in general. *cough* jim pierce *cough*
A few details of the event itself:
May 12th
location: Harris Hill Raceway - Motorsports Clubs, Driving School, HPDE, and Corporate Events
8:30a to 4p with catered lunch.
1 classroom session
4 track sessions

I got to say, I can't wait this should be a good time. And I will absolutely report back with my experience.

 

[wbw]

Good luck. Have fun, and stay safe. Let us know how it goes.

 

[TheGeekFreek]

Ive been anxious to try this too.. Take video!

 

[Dcannon203]

what cars? miatas and protege's?

 

[importmonkey]

Want! So jealous.

 

[jeremy]

<------jealous

 

[captainofiron]

good luck man. We have a racetrack here, but I have never gone. Some times they have open days where you pay and run a couple laps.

when I was in college the local porshe club would rent out a private airport and set up SCCA meets and events, it was really fun

 

[The HACK]

If you've never been to the track before...

Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is your biggest enemy because you'll be pumped so full of adrenaline you won't even notice the fact that you're losing concentration due to lack of hydration. When you start losing concentration on track, is when bad sh*t happen. In a 4 session day, make sure you drink a full 16 ounce bottle of water between each session, whether you're thirsty or not. By the time you notice thirst, it's already too late. You're already dehydrated.

Get plenty of SLEEP the night before. There'll be so much to learn and so much to process, that a sleepy mind is going to be the biggest enemy.

Leave your ego at the door. In 10+ years of instructing, I have yet to come across a single student that is the "next Schumacher." Even the best of the best started out as an absolute noob and NOBODY hits the track fast. Nobody. The second you think you're actually better than you really are, is when you stuff a car into a wall. What we do on track may look easy, but it's not. It comes with hundreds, thousands of hours of repetition and precisely honed skill set.

Lastly. Have fun. If you're not having fun, then don't do it. Go home. Sometimes this sport isn't for everyone. You'll know within 2 laps whether or not you'll enjoy it.

 

[Stone Axe]

I'm jealous too!

Listen to your instructor and be open to learning how to drive on a track - it is different than driving on the street.

Check your ego at the door - big time! You are not racing anyone else or any other type of car. You are learning how to drive well, and then how to drive fast. I don't know if they do this anymore but I had to drive around a track with a huge bowl on my hood with a tennis ball in it and keep the ball from coming out. That is much harder than it sounds. And it was humbling to have the instructor do a fast lap without losing the ball.

Back in the day the main preparation for your car for track driving was better brake pads and high temp brake fluid. But the VT seems good to go for basic track driving to me.

 

[jared]

Thank you for the responses.

My ego should not be an issue, having no road racing experience I am at the will of the instructors. My biggest fear is hitting a couple of the higher speed turns and having the VT's rear step out and spin me around.

 

[Stone Axe]

I doubt that will be a problem as long as you stay off the curbs.

I've really aired out my VT on country roads and big highway ramps and have found the handling very well balanced and predictable. When I get carried away and she starts to push a little at high speeds just backing off the throttle gets the rear end to tuck in nicely. I can't imagine spinning most FWD cars and especially the VT unless you really try.

Besides, the VT's ECT will not allow it to swap ends.

The only time my VT's rear end steps out is when I am going too fast in a corner and hit a decent sized bump/pothole/sewer cap. And then the VT's humble suspension that is sprung very tight shows it's limitations and the rear end skitters out a fair amount. But being a FWD car the VT just follows the front end and after a nervous moment it recovers.